By: Ava Khavari
Box Score
Azusa, CA- The Simon Fraser University football team ended their 2012 season with a 41-28 loss to the Azusa Pacific Cougars on
Saturday.
Bo Palmer (North Vancouver, BC) earned 200 yards of total offense in the game, including 159 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Clan quarterback Trey Wheeler (Seattle, WA) completed 25 of 44 passes for 289 yards, throwing for one touchdown.
Lemar Durant (Coquitlam, BC) caught one touchdown, hauling in nine receptions for 91 yards.
Derek Jones (Edmonton, AB) led the Clan defence with six tackles.
After the Cougars' Jamie Cacciatore notched a 23-yard field goal on their opening drive, APU was able to score two unanswered touchdowns to take a 17-0 first quarter lead.
A three-yard Palmer carry into the endzone was SFU's lone touchdown of the first half. It was Palmer's 13th touchdown of the season that topped off a seven-play, 59-yard drive to get the Clan on the board.
APU would answer back with the only touchdown of the third quarter when quarterback JoJo Bones carried the ball one yard to give the Cougars a 24-7 lead.
On their opening drive of the final quarter, the Clan's Palmer earned his second touchdown of the game, scoring on a six yard run, making the score 24-14.
The Cougars would expand their lead to 27-14 lead, after a 31-yard field goal from Cacciatore but on the next Clan drive, a pass interference call against APU gave the Clan a first down on the Cougars two yard-line.
It was Palmer again who carried it home for his third touchdown of the night cutting the Cougar lead to 27-21.
SFU's hopes for a comeback were dashed by a 75-yard Tyler Thornton kick-off return, which led an Azusa touchdown.
After a two-point conversion the Cougars advanced their lead to 35-21 and althought the Clan would add another touchdown, SFU would drop the season finale 41-28 to Azusa.
The loss gives the Clan a 5-6 record to wrap up the 2012 season.
SFU's four conference wins doubles their win total from last season, and their 5-6 record is their best in the Clan football teams three seasons in the NCAA.
The Clan will hand out their annual awards and officially wrap up the season at the 2012 SFU Football Alumni Society Dinner on Tuesday,
November 20.
